The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-11-05
SATURDAY. NOV. 3, 1887.
IMMIGRATION.

Inc pOllCy VI Ule IlaWallah WV
eminent with regard TO assisted
immigration should be dictated by
considerations of the future good of
the country, and not by the immedi-
ate interests of any one class. I'M
mense sums of money have been
spent in bringing people to these
Islands within a few years, and yet
the demand for immigrant labor
continues. Meanwhile Honolulu
and many small country towns are
beginning to swarm with vagrant
class, which is sure to become a
vicious class. This is certainly an
unsatisfactory state of affairs, and
it demands remedy. /The bringing
in of cheap labor for the planters and
others cannot continue for ever.
Suppose that the prevailing senti-
ment according to the report Of the
Inspector-General of Immigrants)
in favor of the japanese, is deferred
to, what will be the result? The
country will be filed up further with
a class of people who will work in
differently for very small wages
during the time for which they are
shipped, but who are not otherwise
a desirable addition to our popula-
ton. On the other hand, suppose
the preference is given to the Portu-
guese immigrants, will that solve the
problem? Certainly not, if the
Portuguese go off to California as
soou as their contracts have expired.
Neither will those who take advan-
tage of the Homestead Act to get
themselves homes, be of any great
assistance to the employers of cheap
labor. In this difficulty We beg to
offer few suggestions.
First, we suggest that it is i'm
portant that cane land be regarded
as land suitable for homesteads, and
that it be treated accordingly, so far
as it is Government land not under
lease. Families living on their own
land will cultivate cane at as low
rates as the planter can, even with
his cheapest labor, if we mistake
not.
Again, we suggest that the plant
ers try, SO far as possible, getting
men and families to cultivate cane
on their own account on land be-
longing to the plantations. This
plan has been tried in q small and
desultory way in several places on
the Islands, and with moderate sue
cess. If it were seriously and
earnestly taken in hand by our
energetic and enterprising planters
there is every probability that mark
ed success would crown their efforts.
Finally, we suggest that managers
show q little more soul in their
treatment of laborers. Exceptions
will probably be taken to this sug-
gestion, as indicating degree of
brutality on the part of an honored
portion of the community. There are
planters and planters. 1t is not hard
to find a humane model, without
going abroad. But there is an I'M
fortunately large number of planters
who see in their unskilled employees
nothing more than hoeing machines,
and stripping machines, and cutting
machines. To act upon such view
of the case is short-sighted as it is
heartless. The humane model Just
mentioned will be found to have
little or no difficulty in getting
laborers to work for him, without
sending abroad to get men who are
bound by contract to work for
given number of years. The con-
tract system is already breaking
down, so far as it concerns such
men. Until il does break down, it
will be necessary to import shipped
labor. For the tendency of late
years has become more and more
against re-shipping. Planters must
have hired laborers, especially to do
the work in the mills. The sooner
they succeed in getting this work
done without contracts, the better
for thcm aud for The country.
We look forward TO the tune
when cheap homes, fertile lands,